Supercars 2024: Triple Eight has launched its wildcard entry for 2024 with Craig Lowndes and Cooper Murray and committed to racing the wildcard program in 2025

Triple Eight has launched its 2024 wildcard entry spearheaded by Supercars great Craig Lowndes as the powerhouse squad made a big call on the V8 great’s future with its wildcard plans for next year.

Supercars legend Craig Lowndes will have the chance to equal his mentor Peter Brock for Bathurst endurance starts next year after Triple Eight committed to running a wildcard program spearheaded by the V8 great again in 2025.

As Triple Eight unveiled its wildcard entry featuring Lowndes and young gun Cooper Murray for this year’s endurance season on Friday, the powerhouse squad confirmed it had locked in plans which will allow Lowndes to build on his Bathurst legacy again next season.

Lowndes had already inked a two-year contract extension to remain involved with the team last August, but his presence on the grid for the endurance races in 2025 hinged on Triple Eight’s wildcard plans.

The team’s wildcard announcement gives Lowndes at least another two attempts at the Bathurst 1000 where he built his reputation as the modern-day King of the Mountain as a seven-time winner.

Lowndes has 30 starts in the Great Race, but can draw level with the late great Brock on 32, moving him to equal second for the most Bathurst 500/1000 starts behind Jim Richards (35).

The three-time Supercars champion will also overtake Brock this year for the most Bathurst starts in succession – now sitting on 30.

At the age of 49, Lowndes, who famously won a hat-trick of Bathurst 1000 wins alongside now Triple Eight boss Jamie Whincup between 2006-08, will be 51 when he lines up for next year’s Bathurst 1000.

Craig Lowndes drives the Triple Eight Race Engineering Chevrolet Camaro in practice at Bathurst in 2023. Picture: Morgan Hancock/Getty Images

As part of the wildcard program, Lowndes has teamed with young drivers Declan Fraser and Zane Goddard the past two years and will partner Murray in the Supercheap Auto entry at the Sandown 500 and at Mount Panorama.

Before he joins forces with Lowndes, Murray will make his main game debut as a stand-alone wildcard entry at the Darwin Triple Crown in June.

“Teaming up with Cooper … I’m keen to get to our first test day at Queensland Raceway in May so we can start getting comfortable in the car and familiarising ourselves with our team of engineers and mechanics before a gruelling enduro campaign kicks off at Sandown,” Lowndes said.

“It’s fantastic that Cooper will be racing in Darwin, and I congratulate everyone for making this possible again in 2024. Any laps in these cars are invaluable, and hopefully he gets more comfortable with the car and the team before I jump in later in the year.

Supercars great Craig Lowndes will team with young gun Cooper Murray in a Triple Eight wildcard for this year's endurance races. Pic: Supplied.

“I’m also thrilled to …. continue with the program for the 2025 enduro season. Since we started, it has gone from strength to strength and I’m looking forward to continuing that.

“Taking the ‘mentor’ role and teaming up with up-and-coming talent in our sport is something that I really enjoy.”

Since stepping into the Triple Eight wildcard, Lowndes finished eighth at Mount Panorama with Fraser two years ago – the highest place wildcard finish in the history of the Great Race.

But his Bathurst hopes with Goddard last year were cruelled by a gear level issue early in the race.

Lowndes won the last of his seven Bathurst 1000 crowns in 2018 – his final year as a full-time driver in Supercars.

Originally published as Supercars 2024: Triple Eight has launched its wildcard entry for 2024 with Craig Lowndes and Cooper Murray and committed to racing the wildcard program in 2025